Heavy Study Investment: An Analysis of the Defense Mechanisms Characterizing Studyholism and Study Engagement

Abstract

Defense mechanisms are unconscious processes that protect a person from excessive anxiety. They are part of everyday functioning, and mature defenses are associated with positive outcomes. However, the excessive use of defenses or the use of immature defenses is associated with psychopathology. The present study aims to analyze the defense mechanisms that characterize two types of heavy study investment: Studyholism and Study Engagement. We performed a path analysis, MANOVAs, and binary logistic regressions on 422 Italian college students (Mage = 22.56 ± 2.87; 63.5% females). Among the main findings, the strongest (and positive) predictor of Studyholism is regression (maladaptive defense), while for Study Engagement, it is task-orientation (adaptive defense). Hence, Studyholism might be defined as a new potential clinical condition. Additionally, a critical analysis of all the defense mechanisms predicting Studyholism supports the appropriateness of the OCD-related framework for conceptualizing Studyholism. Regarding Study Engagement, even if generally associated with a positive defense style, the finding that it is positively predicted by projection confirms previous studies suggesting that, for some students, it might constitute a coping strategy with paranoid symptoms (and social anxiety and anxiety). Hence, we recommend screening engaged students for social impairment and clinically relevant symptoms that might be hidden by hard studying.

Studyholism and Health Outcomes: Could Internet Addiction Make the Difference?

“…At the same time, hypothesis H2 was confirmed. In line with previous studies (Loscalzo & Giannini, 2021, 2022a, 2022a, 2022b), our result supports the conceptualization of Studyholism as an OCD-related disorder, due to the over-thinking tendency that seems to characterize studyholics and that in this study is confirmed by the association between Studyholism and insomnia. More specifically, we suggest that college students with high levels of Studyholism might ruminate about their academic situation, and in turn, develop sleep problems (i.e.…”

“…Therefore, we speculate that Studyholism might be associated with other adverse physical and psychological outcomes. More specifically, besides sleep quality impairment and daytime sleepiness, it might predict insomnia, also in light of the obsessive (and over-thinking) nature of Studyholism (Loscalzo & Giannini, 2021, 2022a, 2022a, 2022b) that might cause difficulties in falling asleep. Moreover, we might also expect an association between Studyholism and emotional exhaustion, a burnout feature.…”

RETRACTED: Transformation of mechanisms of the university first-year students’ social adaptation: mathematical analysis tools

“…Excessive diligence in the educational process can be a sign of social maladaptation. This conclusion is reached by the authors of the article Y. Loscalzo, M. Giannini, investigating the psychological mechanisms of protection of students and their involvement in learning [3]. In their opinion, social anxiety and anxiety can be compensated by students due to high involvement in studies.…”

Exploring ego defense mechanisms in preclinical dentistry students: a cross-sectional analysis

“…In another paper, the same authors noted that "psychologically stable and adaptive students report the highest GPA" (Vlachopanou & Karagiannopoulou, 2022). If the highest GPA, however, is related to heavy study engagement, this standpoint provided limited support to a study by Loscalzo & Giannini (2022) that found an increased probability for social impairment and clinically relevant symptoms to be hidden by hard studying. When analyzing defense mechanisms characterizing studyholism and study engagement, they suggested that studyholism was positively predicted by regression which is maladaptive defense and hence, studyholism might be regarded as a potential clinical condition.…”